The Carolina Hurricanes have signed forward Teuvo Teravainen to a five-year contract extension worth $27 million, the team announced Monday. The deal carries an annual cap hit of $5.4 million and will keep him under contract through the 2023-24 season. It’s a relatively team-friendly cap hit that will keep the Hurricanes in good cap-standing for the long-term.
The #Canes have agreed to terms with Teuvo Teravainen on a five-year, $27 million contract extension
More Info » https://t.co/uoZUOpVlmR pic.twitter.com/iiu80BV9mW
— Carolina Hurricanes (@NHLCanes) January 21, 2019
“Teuvo has improved every year of his NHL career and has established himself as a cornerstone forward for the Hurricanes now and into the future,” said general manager Don Waddell. “He has shown that he is capable of adapting and expanding his role with our team, becoming a key penalty killer for Rod this season. He’s still just 24 years old and we believe he will only continue to grow as a player.”
Teravainen has 10 goals and 39 points this season in 48 games. He’s in his third season with the Hurricanes after being acquired by the team from the Chicago Blackhawks in a deal that was designed to unload the contract of Bryan Bickell.
Teuvo Teravainen, Carolina Hurricanes, Mar. 1, 2018 (Amy Irvin / The Hockey Writers)
For the Hurricanes, taking on that contract was well worth the cost of receiving Teravainen who has improved statistically in every single category each season of his career thus far. He would score 23 goals and 4 points in 82 games last season.
Teravainen Made the Best of a Bridge Deal
The Hurricanes gave Teravainen a two-year bridge contract in 2017 and wasted no time in getting him locked up to a new deal before there was any sort of discussion about a lack of an extension as we’ve seen so many times in recent years.
PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA – JANUARY 03: Teuvo Teravainen #86 of the Carolina Hurricanes heads for the net and scores an unassisted goal in the third period against the Philadelphia Flyers at Wells Fargo Center on January 03, 2019 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. The Carolina Hurricanes defeated the Philadelphia Flyers 5-3. (Photo by Elsa/Getty Images)
At the time of the signing, the Hurricanes had the following to say about Teravainen:
“Teuvo is a highly skilled player and an important part of what we are building here,” former general manager Ron Francis said. “He’s still a very young player and we look forward to seeing him take the next step in a Hurricanes uniform.”
Though Francis is no longer with the Hurricanes, his words remain true. The Hurricanes clearly intend on building their roster with Teravainen firmly entrenched in their core. This contract is evidence of such and it’s not hard to figure out why they’re so high on him as a player given what he brings to the team.
Teuvo Teravainen, Carolina Hurricanes, Mar. 1, 2018 (Amy Irvin / The Hockey Writers)
Going back to his days with the Blackhawks, Teravainen is as dynamic a player as it gets in the NHL and he can change a game with one shift. That’s the kind of player that all 31 teams would love to have and the Hurricanes are fully aware of that.
Hurricanes Continuing to Improve Roster
The Hurricanes have already made a conscious effort to improve their roster and bolster their winger depth following a trade that saw Victor Rask sent to the Minnesota Wild in exchange for Nino Niederreiter.
Carolina Hurricanes’ Nino Niederreiter and Edmonton Oilers’ Adam Larsson battle as Oilers goalie Cam Talbot is scored on. (THE CANADIAN PRESS/Jason Franson)
The Hurricanes newest addition would be held off the scoresheet in his first game with the team but would score two goals in his second game in a Carolina uniform. For reference, Rask scored only one goal with the Hurricanes in 26 games this season before the trade.
The Hurricanes also made a trade in the offseason that saw them acquire Dougie Hamilton, Micheal Ferland and highly-touted prospect Adam Fox in exchange for Elias Lindholm and Noah Hanifin.
The Hurricanes were looking to make the appropriate changes necessary to change their culture in the offseason. Though the aforementioned Hanifin, Rask, Lindholm and even Jeff Skinner didn’t make the cut, not only was Teravainen retained but the team doubled-down on their investment in the 24-year-old.